C--Multiple Award AE IDIQ

Project: A-E Services Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Contract for the South Texas Veterans Health Care System. The Department of Veterans Affairs, is seeking architecture or architecture/engineering firms capable of the planning and design Solicitation Number: VA257-14-R-0388 Restrictions: 100% Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) set-aside Contact: Lindsey Hooge, +1 (555) 000-0000 or contact@example.gov Issue Date: 17 September 2014 Closing Date: 17 October 2014 1. CONTRACT INFORMATION: This contract is being procured in accordance with the Brooks A-E Act as implemented in FAR Subpart 36.6. A-E firms meeting the requirements described in this announcement are invited to submit: (1) a Standard Form (SF) 330, Architect-Engineer Qualifications, Parts I and II, and (2) any requested supplemental data to the procurement office shown. Firms responding to this announcement before the closing date will be considered for selection, subject to any limitations indicated with respect to size and geographic location of firm, specialized technical expertise or other requirements listed. Following an evaluation of the qualifications and performance data submitted at least three or more firms will be selected for negotiations based on demonstrated technical competence and qualifications for the required services. The services will primarily consist of performing and conducting site investigation services, design services (including designing and developing construction working drawings, specifications, and design analysis), construction period services (including supervising and inspecting), field surveys, cost estimates, project budget management services, technical studies, analyses, BIM/CAD services, fire protection engineer services, reports, planning site developments and installations, and preparing technical portions of Request for Proposal (RFP) packages. Projects outside the primary mission area of responsibility may be added at the Governments discretion upon agreement of the A-E firm. The ordering agency is the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Veterans Integrated Service Network 17 (VISN- 17), Contracting Office. This solicitation may result in multiple awards. If concurrent multiple awards are made, task orders will be allocated based upon the Contracting Officer's determination of performance, the special qualifications of the firm, the nature of the work involved in the task order, the immediacy of the work, and the availability of the firm. Distribution of the work will be a secondary consideration. This contract will have a one year base period and four one year options for a total IDIQ not to exceed $4,000,000.00 per Contract. No single task order issued against the contract will exceed $450,000.00. The contract minimum guarantee amount is $3,000.00.The contract will consist of individually negotiated firm-fixed priced task orders. The solicitation is a 100% set-aside for SDVOSB firms under NAICS Codes 541330. In order to be considered for award SDVOSB firms shall be registered and verified in VetBiz.gov prior to solicitation closing date. Any firms that are not registered and verified in VetBiz.gov by solicitation closing date will not be considered for award. The top ranked firms resulting from evaluation will be sent a Request for Proposal and requested to provide a firm-fixed price proposal for labor categories for the base and option years. In the final selection process the most highly qualified firms may be interviewed. Final A-E selection and award of the contract is anticipated for November 2014. There are no known projects at this time. We are establishing a Contract Vehicle of qualified, interested AE firms so that as projects are identified and funding is available we are positioned to utilize this Contract Vehicle process to relatively quickly and efficiently obtain AE services. As such funds are not presently available for Task Orders that may be issued against this Contract. The Government's obligation under this contract is contingent upon the availability of appropriated funds from which payment for contract purposes can be made. No legal liability on the part of the Government for any payment may arise until funds are made available to the Contracting Officer for future projects and until the Contractor receives notice of such availability, to be confirmed in writing by the Contracting Officer. A-E Professional Service rates, not covered by the Service Contract Act will be negotiated for each 12 month period (Base and Options) of the contract at the time of the original award; Option Year rates will become effective for the period or performance specified in the Option Year when the option is exercised. In order to comply with the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, all contractors must be registered in the System for Acquisition Management (SAM) which replaced the Central Contractor Registration (CCR), to be considered for award of a Federal Contract. Information regarding registration can be obtained through the SAM Assistance Center at +1 (555) 000-0000 or obtained on line at www.sam.gov. The use of DUNS + 4 numbers to identify vendors is limited to identifying different SAM records for the same vendor at the same physical location. For example, a vendor could have two separate bank accounts. If you do not have a DUNS number or want to register subsidiaries and other entities, call Dunn and Bradstreet at +1 (555) 000-0000 or email contact@example.gov. In accordance with FAR 36.209 - Construction Contracts with Architect-Engineer Firms, A-E's are hereby advised that no contract for the construction of a project shall be awarded to the firm that designed the project or its subsidiaries or affiliates, except with the approval of the head of the agency or authorized representative. In accordance with FAR 52.219-27 - Notice of Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Set-Aside, A-E's are hereby advised service-disabled veteran-owned small business concerns agree that in the performance of this contract and any task orders issued against this contract, that at least 50 percent of the cost of personnel for contract performance will be spent for employees of the concern or employees of other service-disabled veteran-owned small business concerns. In accordance with FAR 52.219-27 - Notice of Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Set-Aside, A-E's are hereby advised that, a joint venture may be considered a service-disabled veteran owned small business concern if, at least one member of the joint venture is a service-disabled veteran-owned small business concern, and makes the following representations: That it is a service-disabled veteran-owned small business concern, and that it is a small business concern under the North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) code assigned to the procurement, and each other concern is small under the size standard corresponding to the NAICS code assigned to the procurement, and the joint venture meets the requirements of paragraph 7 of the explanation of Affiliates in 19.101 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, and the joint venture meets the requirements of 13 CFR 125.15(b) 2. PROJECT INFORMATION: A-E Services will be assigned by Task Orders on the IDIQ contract established as a result of this solicitation. Each task order to be issued will fully describe the project to be accomplished. A-E Services to be utilized by the South Texas Veterans Health Care System within VISN 17, and at the discretion of the Contracting Officer this A-E IDIQ may be utilized by all VA Health Care Systems within VISN 17. This includes (North Texas (Dallas, Bonham), Central Texas (Temple, Waco), South Texas (San Antonio, Harlingen, Valley Coastal Bend, Kerrville), and Austin TX. The types of projects may include all or part of the following: 1) Performing and conducting site investigation services, design services (including designing and developing construction working drawings, specifications, and design analysis), construction period services (including supervising and inspecting), field surveys, cost estimates, project budget management services, technical studies, analyses, BIM/CAD services, fire protection engineer services, reports, planning site developments and installations, and preparing technical portions of Request for Proposal (RFP) packages. The A-E shall prepare all design documents in conformation with, but not limited to, the applicable portions of the following: VA Master Construction Specifications, http://www.cfm.va.gov/til/spec.asp , VA Design Guides, Manuals and Alerts, http://www.cfm.va.gov/til/dGuide.asp, http://www.cfm.va.gov/til/dManual.asp http://www.cfm.va.gov/til/alertDesign.asp, International Building Code (IBC), National Fire Codes published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG), Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS), LEED Certification, and Facility Master Plans 3. SELECTION CRITERIA: The selection criteria are listed below in descending order of importance. Proposals will be evaluated on each of the criteria factors. 1. Professional qualifications necessary for satisfactory performance of required services; " This factor evaluates the individual experience of the persons that are to be assigned to the design team. The firms shall provide information on two or three individuals from each design discipline that are anticipated to be assigned to key positions on the design team. The key positions shall include registered and licensed personnel such as Project Managers, Quality Assurance Managers, Architects, Architectural Engineers, Structural Engineers, Electrical Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Fire Protection Engineers, Environmental Engineers and Resident Engineering/Construction Management. Firms may submit any other personnel they feel are significant for the types of work described in Specialist Experience. 2. Specialized experience and technical competence in the type of work required, including, where appropriate, experience in energy conservation, pollution prevention, waste reduction, and the use of recovered materials; " This factor evaluates the experience of the firm and design team in completing projects requiring skills similar to those anticipated for this contract. This may include general renovation of medical center space to include architectural changes of walls, ceiling, floors, finishes, masonry, doorways including hardware, plumbing including storm sewer, sanitary, hot and cold water, heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) to include package units, variable air and constant air volume terminals with reheat, variable frequency drive air handlers, steam and condensate piping, primary and secondary electrical circuits, digital controls, fire protection to include sprinkler systems, central fire and security alarms, audio paging systems, asbestos abatement and all work to return space to finished, functioned condition. Experience designing for facilities of varied climates of Texas, including issues associated with low/high humidity; rain and wind loads. Experience providing CAAD drawings; Designing general construction of new space to include structural work, roofing, exterior walls, site work, site utilities and work stated above. Design of specialty construction may include asphalt paving, elevators, complete key system, large chillers and boiler controls. Extra consideration may be given for experience designing projects for Department of Veterans Affairs Facilities. 3. Capacity to accomplish the work in the required time; " This factor evaluates the ability of the A-E firm, given their current projected workload and the availability of their key personnel, to accomplish the project in the required time. A-E is to provide demonstrated compliance to performance schedules, adherence to timelines for deliverables, the ability to meet unusual time constraints and methods of project management. This factor is reviewed in part by looking to a firms SF 330 response to "Personnel by Discipline", for the quantity of personnel they have in the work disciplines important to the design projects typically acquired by/for the VA. The assumption is that the more personnel a firm has in the work disciplines important to the various design projects, the greater their capacity to accomplish work in the required time. The general workload and staffing capacity of the design office will be evaluated. The firm's ability to response to the needs of the VAMC will be evaluated under this category. 4. Past performance on contracts with Government agencies and private industry in terms of cost control, quality of work, and compliance with performance schedules; " This factor shall be evaluated based on the information provided by the A-E from previous government agencies and private industries on similar type of projects, performance appraisals on file in the Past Performance Information Retrieval System (PPIRS) and contact with personnel listed in the SF 330 regarding past performance as well as evaluation board members personal knowledge of the firm. 5. Location in the general geographical area of the project and knowledge of the locality of the project, for the purposes of this requirement the location is restricted to a 75 miles radius of San Antonio, TX. " This factor evaluates the distance of the Prime A-E firm's office to the location of work and evaluates the team's knowledge of the locality, and the A-E firm's response time capability for on-site visits. 6. Reputation and standing of the firm and its principal officials with respect to professional performance, general management, and cooperativeness. " This factor evaluates the A-E firm and its principal officials reputations with respect to professional performance, general management, and cooperativeness. 7. Record of significant claims against the firm because of improper or incomplete architectural and engineering services. " This factor evaluates an A-E firm's record to determine if significant claims against the firm because of improper or incomplete architectural and engineering services have been filed and adjudicated. 8. Specific experience and qualifications of personnel proposed for assignment to the project and their record of working together as a team. " This factor evaluates the effectiveness of the design team in working together. The SF 330 will be examined for indicators including number of relevant projects the design team has collaborated on. 4. RATING STANDARDS AND DEFINITIONS: The technical evaluation factors will be evaluated on a color basis. Offerors are advised any strengths that are accepted by the government may be incorporated into the contract as the minimum performance requirement. Deficiency - A material failure of a proposal to meet a Government requirement or a combination of significant weaknesses in a proposal that increases the risk of unsuccessful contract performance to an unacceptable level. Strength - Any aspect of a proposal when judged against a stated evaluation criterion, which enhances the merit of the proposal or increases the probability of successful performance of the contract. A significant strength appreciably enhances the merit of a proposal or appreciably increases the probability of successful contract performance. Weakness - A flaw in the proposal that increases the risk of unsuccessful contract performance. A significant weakness in a proposal is a flaw that appreciably increases the risk of unsuccessful contract performance. Rating Key: The rating determination matrix will be color coded in the following manner to assist in the evaluation of the pre-selection process: Rating Key Rating Definition Blue The Contractor's Qualification Statement (SF 330), Part I (Contract-Specific Qualifications), and Part II (General Qualifications) provides exceptional demonstrated competence and qualifications. (Low risk). Green The Contractor's Qualification Statement (SF 330), Part I (Contract-Specific Qualifications), and Part II (General Qualifications) provides good demonstrated competence and qualifications. (Low to moderate risk). Yellow The Contractor's Qualification Statement (SF 330), Part I (Contract-Specific Qualifications), and Part II (General Qualifications) provides acceptable demonstrated competence and qualifications. (Moderate to high risk). Red The Contractor's Qualification Statement (SF 330), Part I (Contract-Specific Qualifications), and Part II (General Qualifications) provides unacceptable demonstrated competence and qualifications. (High risk). The overall rating determination matrix will be color coded in the following manner to assist in the evaluation of the pre-selection process: Rating Key Rating Definition Blue If Professional Qualifications and Specialized Experience are both blue, and at least three of the remaining six factors are green than the firm shall receive an overall rating of Blue. Green If only one of either Professional Qualifications or Specialized Experience is rated blue and the other one is rated as green, and at least three of the remaining six factors are green then the firm receives an overall rating of Green. Yellow If one of either Professional Qualifications or Specialized Experience is rated Yellow and the other is rated yellow or better and at least three of the six remaining factors are green then the firm receives an overall rating of Yellow. Red If Professional Qualifications, Specialized Experience, Past Performance or Capacity to Accomplish Work in the Required Time is rated red then the firm receives an overall rating of Red. 5. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: a. Interested firms must submit five (5) hard copies via UPS or FedEx and one (1) electronic copy via email to contact@example.gov. Each hard copy shall contain Parts I and II of the SF 330 information. Each copy shall be divided by tabs (dividers) separating Parts I and II, and tabs dividing the subsequent sections from each other (Note: Part I, II, and Subsequent Sections are as defined in the SF 330 Instructions). The SF 330 shall have a page limit of 30 pages, and it shall have a limit of 10 projects illustrating specialized experience. A page is one side of a sheet, 8-1/2 by 11. If a fold out is used, each sheet of a fold out shall count as a minimum of 2 pages. Font size shall not be less than 10 font and margins shall not be less than one inch. b. Include the firms CAGE code and DUNS number on the SF 330, Part 1, Block B. On the SF 330, Part 1, Block C, provide the CAGE and DUNS number for each sub consultant, if available. c. SF 330, Part I, Section H (Additional Information) shall contain at a minimum the following information: (1) Item 1 - Management Plan - Include the information requested in Paragraph 3 above. (2) Item 2 - Capacity to accomplish the work. Reference Paragraph 3 above. Provide a 1-2 page narrative discussing the capacity of the prime firm to meet schedules, including adequacy of qualified personnel and equipment available and past experience in meeting tight schedules. (3) Item 3 - Geographic Proximity: Location of the firm with respect to the geographical location described. d. Mailing address for submissions: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2002 Scott Blvd., Temple TX 76504; Attn: Lindsey Hooge, Solicitation VA257-14-R-0388. Mrs. Hooge can be reached at +1 (555) 000-0000 or at contact@example.gov, solicitation packages will not be provided. This is not a request for proposal. Submittals must be received no later than 2:00 PM Central Time, October 17, 2014. Personal visits for the purpose of discussing this announcement will not be scheduled. Please check for updates to this announcement at www.fbo.gov (Federal Business Opportunities). Contracting Office Address: Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office 17 2002 Scott Blvd., Temple, TX 76504 Place of Performance: San Antonio, TX; Kerrville, TX; Corpus Christi, TX; Valley Coastal Bend HCS, TX; and at the discretion of the Contracting Officer with A-E Firm acceptance; VISN 17 Locations, Such as: Austin, TX; Temple, TX; Waco, TX; Dallas, TX; Bonham, TX, etc. Point of Contract(s) Lindsey Hooge, +1 (555) 000-0000 or contact@example.gov